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Thursday, March 12, 2009

Sneak Peek Day 3: "A Charmed Life" and "Wreath of Wishes"

I feel one of the simplest pleasures is sharing a nice meal with friends and family and raising glasses to each other, celebrating the many joys and blessings life offers. On vacation last summer I was toying with a tiny charm on my glass at dinner and got the idea for a stamp set with stemware, charms and words you could pick and choose from...and it completely charmed me LOL! (pun intended, sorry, I could resist!) I am thrilled to preview my newest set from Gina K Designs with you today: "A Charmed Life". Including stamps that are both elegant and whimsical, this set has endless options (including toasts in other languages, and occasions you've probably wished you had stamps for but could never find), and is sure to be a year-round favorite! I've drawn it in a sketched style that lends itself towards "still life" designs, works with your antiqued, distressed, and vintage print papers and colors for a old world, cozy "cafe" feel, or when paired with trendy urban ones gives you a cool, cosmopolitan look!Here is simple shaker card I made to celebrate an anniversary. I stamped my glass twice in Memento Black ink, cut out the bowl on the glass, and added a layer of acetate behind it. I pieced some Autumn Hay Glimmer CS from Paper Temptressfor the liquid (which I also used for my card base), the shimmery golden color is perfect for champagne or sparkling cider, no coloring needed there! I added some clear beads before sealing it up and just love how festive and sparkling that looks, the way the beads rise and fall like bubbles is almost like the real thing, pop POP!! I chose the ring charm this time, and added self adhesive rhinestones to bling it and the wine ring up and traced with the Stardust gel pen, this pen is perfect for outlining the little wire ring around the stem and adding sparkle to your charms!) Black and white papers here are Gina K Pure Luxury white and the new Pure Luxury Black Onyx! Punch is Large Flourish. I added just a few shadows to the glass with gray Copics.

One more peek for today with this set (because I suspect you will be seeing several glasses in our blog hop!), here is a simple "charm bracelet" I created with several of the charms , stamped around a loop of metallic cord ("beads" are stick on metal dots), colored with Copics and covered with Crystal Lacquer for dimension. The bracelet design and this greeting could be just as appropriate for a 6 year old as a 60 year old (I always loved being called a "lady" as a young girl!), just add the charms that suits her best!

Now about that "vase" in this post,.. I think many of you figured out I was up to something... and I DID draw it ... right before Gina plated and vulcanized it! So yes, you can have this vase for all your flowers, too, when you ink up or cut out just the top of the glass from the "A Charmed Life" set! :) Please turn out for our release party tonight as the rest of team and I will be sharing more out of the box ideas for this glass and charms, as well as elegant and easy gifts with it that I think will make you say "WOW!" (can't wait!!)

This next little card, using "Wreath of Wishes" by Gina K, was fun to make! I scored a 6 x 5 1/2" piece of Gina K Pure Luxury White base weight CS at 3" with my Scor-Pal, so that the finished card is 3 inches across, a nice "door proportion", and still fits in a regular A2 sized envelope. I took one of my smallest dies from the Nestabilities Long Rectangle set and embossed it 4 times, one in each corner, to make the different panels. Then I stamped the wreath in Memento Black, colored it with Copics, stamped a greeting inside and carefully trimmed around the flowers. I put a gold brad through the top like a nail and popped it up on dimensionals. For the "knob", I took a large white brad I had, dipped it in Versamark and gold EP, then embossed to match my other brad. I snipped the prongs off the back with my Tim Holz Scissors (not just for trimming rubber!) and attached it with a dimensional (rather than poking it through, I didn't want the ends to show through my single layer card.)

As you can see, there is no latch or closure, as it stands it already looks ajar, on the inside you find a greeting from the same set, "My door is always open"... Isn't that sweet? This "open door design" is perfect for a friend, family member or to welcome a new neighbor. Did I mention this is the new "Free with Three" set?Do you have a list of three Gina K Designs sets you can buy to earn it yet? ;)

***jaw dropping*** OMGosh!! Where to start?? LOL The wine glass shaker....how cute!!! Looks like bubbles in the Bubbly!!! And a truly charming Charm Bracelet!!! I share your love of puns!!! LOL Soooo many awesome new sets of course!!!!

Your new set is looking fantastic, Melanie! What beautiful and creative cards you made! I love the bubbles and the charm on the glass and the pretty charm bracelet! The wreath card is gorgeous, too! Thanks for sharing!

Oh my goodness Mel! That bubbly, just WOW! You just continue to amaze me with your creativeness...Pleaseee let me pick your brain, haha! That is so awesome with the beads and making it into a shaker card! And the door...Ok, I am running out of descriptive words here!! LOL! sooo brilliant!! I cannot WAIT to get your new set...I just knew that 'vase' had to be a sneak peek of something to come, lol!

GET OUT OF HERE!! Love your bubbles!! How CUTE!! (actually, I've been neglegent in my blog hopping and have missed the last few posts...your lilies reminded me of the lilies I carried on my wedding day (mine were all white, but my sister carried THOSE!)

Wow Melanie! Three great cards. I love the shaker technique that you discussed; the charm bracelet is "charming" and the wreath is wonderful. I can't wait to see the full sets. Congratulations on another great release. Kristina G

Mel -I love your new stamp set and what you have done with it. The glass with the "bubbly" is just fantastic and the charm bracelet reminded me to go and look for my charm bracelet my Mom gave me years ago. Another fantastic job on your part!

Meellllll!!! I live!!! (just in case you wondered, lol) hey buddy-I see I've been missing out on your usual awesomeness and what a loss! But no time like the present to get back into the swing of things and you are just the medicine I need....along with that glass of bubbly, ahem! hehe. And that charm bracelet, holy cannoli--all I can say is, wrap it up cuz I'm sold! I adore your new set and really hope to get it soon. I will be at the party tonight and can't wait to visit with all the terrific Gina K gang again. hugs and smooches xoxoxo

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All Content including, designs, concepts, text, and photographs are COPYRIGHT2015 Melanie Muenchinger. Original artworks are shared for your personal enjoyment only and may not be used for publications (print or online), galleries or contests. Thanks so much for your support!

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About Me

I am a stamp illustrator, author and Senior Design Team Member for Gina K Designs and a WAHM of two terrific boys. I've been stamping and creating cards and other papercrafts for 12 years, and was one of the Splitcoast Original Dirty Dozen Team (melmel). My first book of stamping tutorials came out in January 2012 and the second in May 2013. God has blessed me beyond measure with opportunities to use my gifts and a loving husband who supports my work and art. I pray you find inspiration in the creations and stories I post here!